Regulating mechanism for gas producers



C. W. LUMMIS. REGULATIFJG MECHANISM FOR GAS PRODUCERS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.5, 1918.

1,425,875, PatentedAug. 5,1922.

CHARLES W. LUMMIS, 0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO MORGAN CON- STRUCTION COMPANY, OF WWRCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA'I'ION OF MASSACHUSETTS REGULATING MECHANISM FOR GAS PRODUCERS.

Specification of Letters Paten-t. Patentgd Aug, 15, 1922,

lfiiplication filed August 5, 1918. Serial H10. 248,477.

obtaining the production of gas thereby in direct proportion to the fiuctuations'in the demands of the gas-consuming a encie's.

In systems involving the supp y of producer gas for metallurgical or other operations, from one or more gas producers, the present invention contemplates the regulation of the producer or producers in such a manner as to make the rateof gas production substantially equal to the rate of gas consumption; in other Words, when the demand for gas in the system is either increased or diminished, the rate of gas production is correspondingly changed, thereby causing the system to operate at the maxi mum efliciency, and avoiding at all times both an under supply or an over supply of the gas.

The above and other objects are attained by the employment of automatic mechanlsm operable on the agencies of the gas producer or producers which directly affect the rate of gas production, namely the fuel and blast supply devices. The rates of fuel and blast supply for the production of gas are made directly responsive to the rate of 'gas consumption in the system, so that when more as is being used, an increase in the rate of pr0duction is obtained, and vice v'QISfl, when the demand for gas decreases, the production is correspondingly lessened. One form of the invention is set forth and described hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a'diagrammatic representation of so much of a producer gas supply system as is necessary to show the invention. 1

Referring to the accompanying drawing 1 denotes a gas producer of conventional construction, which, if desired, may be included in the battery of similar devices, all having their interior chambers 2 connected to a common gas main '13, by means of suitable flues, not shown, that are led from their outlet openings 14. Each producer of a battery, only one being shown, is provided with a rotaryfeeding mechanism 3, which in the present instance is substantially like that covered by United States Patent No. 1,270,963, issued to me July 2, 1918. An

intermittent rotary motion is imparted to an oscillating bell crank 4, one arm of which is pivotally connected by a link 5 with a slide 6, capable of a radial movement on an.

oscillating arm 7. The arm 7 is carried by a shaft 8 journalled in a support 9 and provided with an arm 10, which is pivotally connected by a link 11 with an actuating crank disk 12C The amplitude of movement of the oscillating bell crank 4 will be increased or diminished by the radial position of the slide 6 on the oscillating arm 7. By moving the slide 6 toward the free end of the arm 7 the swinging movement of the bell crank 4 will be increased, with a resultant increase in the amount offuel fed to the gas producer. The movement of the slide 6 on the arm 7 toward the. shaft 8 will diminish the movement of the bell crank 4 and lessen the rate offuel feeding.

By the employment of certain instru- Inentalities, the position of the slide 6 on the arm 7 is controlled and determined accordance with the rate of use of the gas flowing through main 13, and hence, the rate of fuel supply to each of the producers of the battery, or to the producer 1 as ;the case may be, is made responsive to thej rate of use of gas, as hereinafter described! l.

According to the invention, the supply of gas in the main 13, which is common to all of the producers of the battery, is drawn upon by all of the gas consuming agencies, furnaces or the like, of the system. In consequence of this, the fluctuations in the quantity of gas consumed, due to the variations of demand of the gas using agencies,'are

communicated directly to the main 13, and according to the invention these fluctuations in the main 13 are in turn. communicated to the gas producer or producers in order to vary the raterof gas making. To this end, the main 13 is equipped with a suitable device adapted to move in response to the flucdevice is here shown by way of example as a water sealed eras boll l5 oi ordinary construction disposed in surrounding relation to an opening- 16 in the main. The hell I?) is connected by a link 17 with a lever in. pivs oted at one end to a fixed bracket 19 said lever carrying at one end a weight 18 which substantially counterbalances the weight of bell 15. 7

When the rate of gas consumption in the s 'stem is substantiall constant. and canal to the rate of production. the bell 15 is stationary, as will be well understood. \i'hcn the rate of consumption is increased over the rate of productiomthe gas contained in the hell if) flows into the main 1?) to make up for the discrepancy which would otherwise occur and consequently the bell is lowered. tonversely, if the consumption be decreased, the excess gas flows intothe bell and raises it. The. movcn'ient of the bell thus serves to indicate the relation between the rates of consun'iption and production. rising when the production is greater than the consumption and lowering when thoconsuniption exceeds the production.

If these movements be comn'iunicated to the gas producing agencies of the gas system, increasing the quantity of blast and fuel as the bell descends and decreasing; it as it rises, it is evident the rate of gas production may be made. to follow the "aryingz demands of the as-consuming agencies. lit is also evident that when so connected to the gas-prmlucing means. the delicately baianccd bell will maintain a constant pressure of gas in the main just sufficient to balance any weight of the bell and lovers in excess of the counterbalance weight 18.

It is evident that the small force exerted -by lever 18, connected toboll 15 is not under ordinary circumstances. suliicient to shift the slide (3 inwardly and outwardly on the arm 7, so as to vary the rate of fuel suppl to the producers, It becomes necessary therefore to introduce between the lever 18 and the fuel supply controlling devicese suitabie actuating device for the latter, said. actuatin device being regulated and corn trolled by the'movenient oi thelever "through pipe 44 to a suitable blower 1 Any suitable power actuatedmechanism for this purpose will suilice; in the present instance, there is shown a reversible electric motor arranged to impart movement to the slide 6 on arm 7. and the operation of this motor is under the control of the lever 18, as hereinafter described,

Securedto the lever. t8=is a downwarcliy oxtending link 20, having an insulated head 21 to which are secured contact inemhers or brushes 22 and 23. The brushes 22 and 23 are connected by Wires 2% and 25 with a source of electricity. Supported a ironic essors are four insulated contact plates L'Y. :29. 2S} and 30 each connected by suitable wiring; with a reversible motor 3i. he motor 2&1 is operatively connected through a motor shaft 3; with a crank shaft 33 journallcd in a supporting bracket 3% and carrying: on one end a crank arm 35. The free end of the crank arm 35 is pivotally connected by means oil a link so with the link a). The link 36 is provided with a turnbuckle so" for the mauual adjustment of the length of the link and the initial adjustment of the slide 6. it lc- *ver 3?, pivoted to a fixed bracket on. has one end slotted as at 32', for connection to the rodv or link 36. ver 31' is pivoted to a rod 39 upon whieh frame 26 is mounted. The brushes or con tacts 2). and 23 are slightly shorter than the space between the upper pair of con acts 3? and 30 and the lower pair oi contacts :27 and 28, so tl at in the normal operation oi the sys-- tern said brushes 22 and 23 are in a neutral position, the motor 31 being therehy iuop erative.

When the rate of gas consumption in creases, the. consequent lowerin of belt 15 The opposite end of the and link 21') will cause the brushes 22 and 23 I to make contact .Wltll the plates If and :28, thereby inaugurating the operation of the motor 31 in a direction to produce clockwise rotation of crank arm 35. thus raising; the slide 3 on the arm 7 so as to increase the throw of hell crank 4- and thus speed up the feeding of fuel to the producer. The rotation of the motor 31 above described only momentary for in'nucdiately the frame :26 is lowered through lever 31 and rod 39 to destroy the contact between the brushes 2'12 and 23- and the plates and 28; however: the new position assumed by the crank arm 2.? assures the maintenance or the increased rate of feeding until ther is another e t e in the demand for gas. iahuultancousiy with this increased rate of feeding incl the blast of air and steam to the producers is increased in rohune by any suitable mcclun nisrn responsive to the inoi'cnient o? iei'et 18. its herein'showrnthe linii 820 has ad 'ustably connected thereto a lever til, which is pivoted on a bracket 41 carried hy valve raising- 42. Steam passes through pi: e ,into said valve casing and thence led "or n- (lacing air with it into the produea. he

blower-being;- proportioneu to induce a n in tity of air substantially proportionate the quantity of steam flowing. A wire, not shown. within said casing is provided to throttle the steam. and the. stem to of this.

will he Waii understood.

45 I said gas consuming agencies, and means controlled by the movement of said member for changing the rate of supplying fuel to there occurs a decrease in the rate of consumption, the consequent surplusage of gas in the main 13 brings about an immediate elevation of the bell 15, and this causes the brushes 22-and 23 to contact with the plates 29 and 30. In this position of the electrical control devices, the motor 31 is started up and runs in such a direction as to produce counter-clockwise rotation of crank arm 35, thereby lowering the slide 6 on the arm 7 and decreasing the throw of the bell crank .4, so as to produce a lower rate of fuel feed. Simultaneously with this adjustment, the valve stem 45 is moved downwardly to throttle the steam to the producers, so as to obtain a rate of gas production substantially in accordance with the lowered rate of gas consumption. As before, the motor 31, after accomplishing the regulation of the fuel supply, comes to a stop because the frame 26 is moved upwardly to carry the contacts .29 and 30 away from the brushes 22 and 23. It will be seen that the mechanism above described readily adjusts itself to each variation in the rate of gas con- .sumption that may occur, and acts on the .fuel feeding and blast instrumentalities of the system in such a manner as to maintain the rate of gas production substantially equal at all tlmesto the demand. In this wvay the system is able to respond almost instantaneously to a sudden increase or decrease in the demand for gas.

I claim, v

1. In a gas supply system, the combination with a member movable in response to fluctuations in the demand for gas, of means controlled by the movement of said memher for increasing or decreasing the rate of supplying fuel for gasification to said system.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with gas producing and gas consuming agencies, of a member movable in response to fluctuations in the demand of said was producing agencies.

' 3. n a gas supply system, the combination with a member movable in response to fluctuations in the demand forvgas, of mechanical means for continuously feeding fuel for gasification to said system, and means set in action by the movement of said member for changing the rate of operation of said fuel feeding means. a

4. In a gas supply system, the combinawith mechanical means} for continuously feeding fuel for gaslfication in said system, of means responsive to fluctuations in. the

.. demand on the system for gas, for changing I the rate of operation of said fuel feeding.

- means. 6

5. In apparatus of the class described, the

combination with gas producing and gas consuming agencies, of ajmember movable in response to fluctuations in the demand of said gas consuminmagencies, I operating fuel feeding means for said gas producing agencies, and means controlled by continuously the movement of said member for changing the rate of operation of said fuel feeding means. a

- 6. In a gas supplv system, means for continuously supplying fuel for gasiiication,

means operable to'vary the rate of fuel supply, and means, responsive to fluctuations in the demand for gas in the system, for inaugurating tlie action of said last mentloned means.

7. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with gas producer fuel' feeding means for continuously supplying fuel for gasification, of force applying means operable to vary the rate of fuel supply, and.

the combination with gas producing and gas consuming agencies, of means for continuously supplying fuel for gasification by said producing agencies, a motor ,operable to change the rate of fuel supply, and means, responsive to fluctuations in the demandof said gas consuming agencies, for inaugurating the action of said motor in one direction to increase the rate of-fuel feeding, and in the other direction to fuel feeding.

10. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with gas producing and gas consuming agencies, of means for continuously supplying fuel for gasification by said producing agencies, a motor operable to change the rate of fuel supply, means responsive to fluctuations in the demand of said gas consuming agencies for inaugurating the action of said motor, and means responsive to the operation of said motor for procuring the stoppage thereof. .11 En apparatus of theclass described,

thecombination with gas producing and gas produc ng agencies, a motor operable to change the rate of-fuel supply, means, re-

fluctuationsin the demand of said as consuming agencies, for inauguratsp'onsive, to

ing t e action. of said motor in; one direcdecrease the rate of tion to increase the rate of fuel feeding, and in the other direction to decrease the rate of fuel feeding, and means responsive to the operation of the motor in either direction for procuring the stoppage thereof.

12. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with gas producer, :t'uel feeding means for continuously supplying fuel for gasification, of a member movable in response to fluctuations in the demand for gas, and force applying means interposed between said member and said feeding means, for procuring the adjustment of the latter in proportion to the demand for gas. ,13. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with gas producer fuel feeding means for continuously supplying fuel for gasification, said means being adj ustable to vary the rate of fuel supply, and

force applying means, set in operation by fluctuations in the demand for gas, for procuring the adwstment of said fuel feeding 14.111 apparatus of the class described, the combination with gas producing and gas consuming agencies, of means responsive to fluctuations in the demands of said gas consuming agencies for regulating the sup ceramics W. Lin/ans Witnesses PENELOPE COMBEJZBAOH, Nannie Wrmmn. 

